The Artist and the In Crowd
by Noxsociti
Summary: Another year at Konoha Academy: home of the rich, the beautiful and 'in crowd'. Naruto is just an artist who, by a cruel twist of fate, ends up living in the centre of their rich and beautiful world. The present brings the past back back to him...
1. The Prologue

**Authors note: **Hello! I'm rewriting the whole thing because I'm pretty sure it sucked! So here you are! Just to note, this isn't actually a chapter, think of it as a preview of what's to come.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or any of the characters. They all belong to their rightful owner and stuff.

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**Prologue **

He looked over to the cross marked calendar- four days left until the inevitable day when he was to return to the academy.

With a sigh he took up his paintbrush and swept it across the canvas, leaving a trail of a blue so dark it could almost be black. This painting would be no different to the hundreds of others he'd painted over the summer, indeed over the last few years, and that fact left him feeling unnaturally cold. Colder than the times he'd sit outside in the rain and let himself be soaked by it. Colder than the times he'd gone out in winter and fallen asleep under a tree despite the fact he knew he'd come home to a worrying carer.

Hitting nineteen seemed to have done nothing for the way he felt about life, himself and certain other people that he'd rather not think, let alone talk, about. In fact the years seemed to have done nothing at all for him, because not only did he feel the same, he looked the same as well. The blue eyes (a shade that reminded him of the colour you see when the sun hit's the surface of Caribbean seas) hadn't dulled in his near two decades of life and his hair certainly hadn't darkened or tamed in anyway. In fact, if anything, he thought perhaps his features had only become more vivid.

He trailed the brush across the canvas a final time before placing it down on the easel and lifting the painting to be stored away in a cupboard where no one would ever see it, not even his friends. If they knew exactly what- or rather who- it was that he painted so much they'd… Well they wouldn't understand for a start, merely because they weren't apart of the catalysis events that led to his minor obsession with painting the most sought after man he'd ever known.

"Another Naruto?" Iruka had snuck up on him again. He knew about the art, he knew why, what had happened. He understood. "Perhaps it's time you stopped Naruto. This room is almost full and you're only damaging yourself more by holding onto the memories."

"Not that easy Iruka and you know it." Naruto mumbled as he propped the painting up in the corner, the walls were full of his favorites and the first which was framed and signed and dusted almost everyday. Sometimes Naruto couldn't stand to look at them, so he took one outside and burned it. He watched the fire lick at his work and he'd sit and smell the acrid stench of acrylics burning…

"Naruto, I wish you'd let it go… You should start getting all your things packed, there's only four days left now until summer's finished and I don't want a repeat of last year's 'day-before' packing. I left your ramen on the kitchen side, I really don't think you're going to fit it all in though…" And just like that the Naruto felt better again, because Iruka always knew what to say and when to say it

Three hours later Naruto found himself sweating and yelling down to Iruka for help. He couldn't fit the last of his ramen in his suitcase and there was no way he was going without it!

"What is it Naruto? Are you hurt?" Iruka puffed as he wrenched the blonde's door open.

"The last pot won't go in Iruka! I've tried everything!" Iruka deadpanned but couldn't help smiling after watching Naruto wrestle with the instant noodles.

"Have you even packed your clothes yet?" Iruka asked despite knowing that the blonde hadn't. Naruto just looked up at him and rolled his eyes. Ramen was always more important that clothes; he'd walk around naked quite happily if he could eat his ramen whilst he was doing it.

" I was getting to that… But I need to get this ramen in first. Besides, I can fit all my clothes in that little bag over there! I don't want any of my precious ramen to get squashed. That's why I'm using the other four bags! Now help me Iruka!" It was funny to watch him take everything out and put it back in differently only to realise that there still wasn't enough room for that last pot.

"Don't you think you're maybe a big deal out of nothing Naruto? You could eat that now and the problem would be solved." Iruka pointed out as Naruto was in the middle of removing everything once again.

"But Iruka, what if I don't take it and then run out on my last day? I'd always know that if I'd only been able to fit that one last pot in, if I hadn't eaten it, then I'd never have run out!"

Melodrama was always high on Naruto's agenda, the more stupidly dramatic he was the more achieved he felt.

"Naruto, stop being silly and get the rest of your stuff packed. Your ramen will be done in three minutes so I suggest you hurry it up." Iruka took the last pot out of Naruto's hands and made his way out of the room and down the stairs. Naruto smiled and looked towards his closet where creased clothes were spilling out. Three minutes was a challenge if he ever saw one and Naruto had never turned down a challenge, he wasn't likely to start. He rushed over to the closet and grabbed as many clothes as he could without suffocating himself, shoved them down on the floor and began stuffing them haphazardly into his bag.

Two minutes and forty-eight seconds later he was downstairs inhaling ramen under the watchful eyes of Iruka.

"You can't do your bag up, can you?" Iruka asked, smirking.

"Nmmoope"

Naruto had a feeling that this year would be different. Better or worse, he wasn't sure. But it would be different.


	2. The Artist

**Authors note:** I'm back again! With some SasuNaru for you all.

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or any of its characters, and that fact makes me very sad.

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Chapter one- the artist

"Beep, beep, beep"

A hand appeared from underneath the cocoon of blankets and reached blindly towards to the alarm clock on the cabinet by his bedside. It took a few sweeps of the unit before that tan hand enclosed around the small alarm clock on it and pressed what he believed to be the snooze button.

"Beep, beep, beep"

The snooze button was mashed again in the hopes of gaining five more minutes of peace before he was forced to get up and head off to another painful year at Konoha academy, home of the rich.

Konoha academy was a boarding school, an elite boarding school for the next Einstein and everyone else who had too much money in their pockets, that they were willing to throw at their children to get them out of their house for the next year. Today was the day that school started again, meaning today was the day torture started again and he'd do anything to escape that.

"Beep, beep, beep"

It was in that moment that the alarm clock went flying across the room, hitting the opposite wall and falling to the ground in pieces.

"Beep, beep, beep"

It was then that the shape of a body underneath the mound began to move and a head of messy blonde hair uncovered itself; followed by blue eyes misted with the remains of sleep and sweet dreams that swiftly narrowed in confusion. The blankets fell away from his torso as he sat up and searched the room for the remains of the alarm clock, wondering where the hell that noise was coming from as he spotted the broken pieces of the orange clock on the floor.

"Beep, beep, beep"

"Shut up! Leave me alone!" The blonde boy pleaded as he sank back down into the pillows and closed his eyes.

"But Naruto, dad's going to be leaving soon, he told me to make sure you were up." So that was the source of that never ending beeping…

Try as he might, Naruto couldn't escape reality forever and in a few short hours he was going to be back at the academy with the other rich kids and he'd have to try to survive another year of it all. Not that he was being ungrateful, he was lucky to even be there. The fee's were extortionate, and scholarships were rare. In fact the only reason he was there in the first place is because his Iruka had gotten a job teaching history. They'd cut the fee's in half and gave him accommodation for free, but he didn't really belong there, not amongst the rich kids with their fast cars, designer clothes and platinum credit cards.

"Alright… I'm getting up now, you can leave." Naruto said wryly, the boy he was addressing looked at him hesitantly but left all the same, letting the door close behind him. The blonde sighed and rubbed his eyes with his hands, shifting some stray spikes from his face in the process.

He did like the academy, it had the best art programme in the country and as said, he was lucky to be there. But no matter how hard he tried, what he did - or indeed didn't- do. Nobody really accepted him as one of their own. He was an outcast, a loser, a dip in the paradigm design of class and cool.

He had friends, of course he did, and they were wonderful to him despite the fact that he could barely afford his art materials each year. But like him they didn't really fit with the status quo. They partied all night and then slept through class, glared at teachers, answered back and flipped off anyone who dared sneer at them. In a place of such refined beauty and wealth, these people were his sanctuary.

The main problem- really any other problem he had was nothing compared to this- was that the entire academy was run by a select group of people who put themselves in charge by putting everyone else down. The 'in crowd' was what everyone called the group of the most beautiful, wealthy and intelligent people there. Every school has one, but take the average amount of charisma an in crowd has and times it by a billion and you have how very alluring the in crowd of Konoha Academy are. Sasuke Uchiha was what you'd call the head of this group. The Uchiha's always were head of everything and young Sasuke was no different, he led his friends like he led the entire school and he watched as people fell around his feet. It bugged Naruto that everyone shamelessly drooled over him -them- when they'd done nothing to deserve it.

But perhaps he was slightly bitter on the subject. There was a time, something he never speaks about to anyone, that Sasuke wasn't quite the way he was when he saw him in the halls. It hurt his head to even think about it, though he found himself doing it sometimes. Something had happened that'd not only changed Sasuke, but the way he saw Naruto and the way he acted around him.

Whilst pondering all these matters, it didn't occur to Naruto that he truly was going to be late and he wasn't even dressed yet. Not that he had much to wear since it was all packed away in suitcases and bags ready for the new year, the new room and the new roommate.

"Naruto! Are you ready to go? Because if we don't leave now we won't get there and I have a teachers meeting", Iruka shouted up at the blonde, who was flying around his room trying to find something to wear. He eventually settled on a pair of orange jeans he'd found lying on the floor and a black T-shirt that he was sure he'd worn two days ago.

"I'm coming!"

* * *

Konoha academy was the most beautiful building for miles around; the faux cathedral look with it's spires and arches and intricately carved bell tower could cause the eyes of any person to catch and stick until they dried up and they had to blink. The students who were arriving didn't look twice. They didn't care and they weren't likely to start either because after all, it was just a building to them. But to Naruto it was much more, it represented hope and achievement and another year of knowing he was getting the best there was. It represented to him that someone gave a damn about him and was willing to sacrifice things to put him through this.

He stepped out of the car slowly and made his way to the front entrance, Iruka in tow. All around him, cars with tinted windows, Limousines, Ferrari's and Hummer's pulled up and teenagers were escorted out by parents and chauffeurs. It made him sick to the stomach to see them swagger off towards the building leaving people trailing behind them with suitcases and bags of their possessions.

Naruto sighed as he reached the doors and was pushed to the side by a girl eager to get to her friends on the inside, she ignored his protests; she didn't hear him, she probably didn't see him.

"Ignore them Naruto, let's get inside and you can go and find your room". Iruka always new what to say and when to say it. He was attuned to Naruto's thoughts more than anyone could ever know.

They did get inside eventually and once they pushed through the crowds of people who weren't interested at all in their schedules, new rooms or getting started, it was easy to find the reception desk and retrieve the envelope with his name on it.

Tuesday was the day of reprieve this year, the day that he had no lessons besides tutorial. Which of course reminded him that he had the mandatory 'another year is starting speech' in tutorial in only ten minutes.

"I'll see you later Iruka", Naruto said as he grabbed his bags and began the annual room search. D507.

D building ( or_ D__ocendo discitur_ as the welcoming sign said), 5th floor, room 7. It was odd, he thought, to be assigned to D block and frightening as well. D block housed the elite, the in crowd, the richest of the students. So why was he there?

He stopped at the elevator doors of D building and took a deep breath. 'Breathe Naruto' he thought to himself. 'They're just people, just normal people who happen to be ridiculously rich and notoriously beautiful'. But who was he kidding, there was nothing normal about the people he would be staying with and there was nothing about the situation to clam down about. His time was ticking though, only five minutes remained until tutorial, just enough time to leave his stuff in his room and run to the classroom. But even though he knew that his time was running out his hand still hesitated on the button of the elevator; could he really do it? Travel up to floor 5 and walk that corridor to room 7 knowing that he'd spend the next year in a building with people who would hate him.  
'Press the button Naruto. Get it over and done with.'

And so he did, he pressed the button and waited as the elevator hummed into action and made it's way down the ground floor where he stood trembling.

* * *

He was five minutes late by the time he'd gotten his belongings onto the bed furthest from the window, given himself time to breathe, freak out and then make it back down to the ground floor. Kakashi wasn't there of course and he found himself smacking his head against the wall for not remembering that his teacher was never on time. His friend Lee wasted no time prancing up to him and flinging his arms around him in a 'youthful' hug...

"Naruto! How were the last days of this amazing summer?" He asked in a voice that made Naruto feel slightly sick because is was just too sugary.

"They were fine Lee... Same as always."

"So you spent your last week of freedom doing fifty more of those mystery paintings you won't let us see? What a drag..." Shikimaru had pried his sleeping face from the desk to address Naruto from across the room... Lazy arse couldn't even be bothered to get up despite the fact they hadn't seen each other since the start of the holidays because Shikimaru's dad dragged him away on his monotonous business meetings every year over the summer.

"Actually I spent most of it trying to figure out how to fit a years supply of instant ramen in my bags since I won't we be able to go to Ichiraku's everyday!" He exclaimed, pumping his fist repeatedly at the thought of ramen.

And then it went quite. But not just quite, it went silent and everybody was seemingly looking at him only Naruto knew that they weren't. Everyone was looking behind him and that could only mean one thing... The in crowd were standing just behind him and his still pumping fist.

"Move." The smooth monotone voice washed over him and he couldn't help swinging around to look at the face and the lips that had uttered those words. Sasuke Uchiha in the flesh. Every single silky strand of raven hair perfectly in place in a style that looked like as though he'd just rolled out of bed (though Naruto knew that Sasuke Uchiha never rolled anywhere, especially out of bed) and every inch of that luminous white skin was flawless in everyway.

"Dobe. I said move. I suggest you do it next time." Sasuke said, glaring down at him and sweeping the poor blonde aside and moving towards the back of the room, line of perfect people in tow, where three poor girls scrambled to their feet and stumbled away to ensure that the entire back row was free.

It wasn't until Choji's overly loud munching appeared in his ear that he realised he hadn't moved since he'd looked Sasuke dead in the eye, in fact he wasn't entirely sure he'd even breathed.

"Are you okay there Naru?" Choji asked between mouthfuls.

"Yeah, fine!" He replied as he began the walk to the desks his friends had chosen to occupy for the year.

Once he was seated he began to wonder if he truly was fine or whether the answer he'd given was such big part of who he was that it was given without hesitation. He was Naruto. He was always fine, always happy. It left a bitter taste in his mouth to think about the past, the days when he wasn't fine and happy.

"Morning class. I'd have been on time but there was a cute little dolphin having trouble with the coffee machine just now and I couldn't let him- it- struggle, could I?" Kakashi said, a smirk evident beneath the forever present mask. Naruto had a feeling that the casual wink was aimed at him and he couldn't help but roll his eyes as the man took out that dirty book he was always reading and told everyone to 'get on with it'… Whatever 'it' was.

"So are you ever going to tell us about these paintings you won't show us?" Shikimaru had risen from slumber again to grill Naruto about one of the only things he was remotely interested in.

"They're just paintings guys. Seriously, just paintings."

_Thump_. The head was once again back on the desk.

"Where are you guys staying this year?" A change of subject was how Naruto usually stayed in control of his friends nosy moments.

"C again. Only it's the 3rd floor this time. Let me guess, you're in B211?" Shikimaru said around a yawn.

"No… I'm in D507..." Naruto mumbled but despite the lack of volume everyone seemed to have heard because heads swivelled in his direction and eyes narrowed.

Neji's eyes seemed to be filled with more hatred than perhaps anyone else's and perhaps this should have set alarm bells ringing in Naruto's mind, but he was so used to glares and snickers and generally rude behaviour that he didn't think much of it.

"You're staying in D?" Lee's eager whisper broke through the silence that had taken the room and it sounded more like he was shouting to Naruto.

He didn't answer. He put his head in his hands and wished that the floor would swallow him up and that Sasuke at least would stop staring at him, because then everyone else would follow suit and he'd be free to converse with his friends again. But when did something he wanted ever happen?

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So that's it for chapter one. It'd be awesome to hear what you think of the new version since I'm pretty sure the original sucked XD.

See you next time!

Reviews get cookies!


	3. The 'In' Crowd

**Authors note:** Chapter two for you all! Thank you so much for all the reviews, they do ensure that I keep writing... I don't want to disappoint XD

Sorry for the slight delay, head injuries are such a drag.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto or any of its characters... Dammit...

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Chapter two- The 'In' crowd

He waved goodbye to his friends as they made their way to the other side of the campus, to C block, where they would be staying. Naruto wished he was going with them or even that he would be making his way to the second floor of B block, finding room 11 with it's cracked ceiling and tiny bathroom and mildew stained walls... But instead he was headed off to his death in the form of the most magnificent room he'd ever stayed in. It was ironic really, like God was testing him by giving him every luxury in the world to see if he'd take advantage and sin; it made him feel a trifle like Adam.

As he walked through the doors (which in themselves were amazing) the beautiful people who inhabited the halls sent him looks, glares, sneers, like he was dirtying their building just by being there. He spied Neji and Sasuke talking by the elevator and from the haughty look Sasuke sent his way, he knew they were talking about him and he was sure it wasn't pleasant things they were saying either. He thought for a second about just walking over there and barging through them to get to the elevator but then he came back to his senses and he realised that it definitely wasn't the best idea to anger those who not only ruled the school but also were the people he was staying with for the next year. The stairs seemed a much more sensible option and with that thought Naruto began the ascension to the fifth floor where he was sure- if the closing of the elevator doors was anything to go by- he'd be faced with the stern glances of the in crowd and Neji's hatred. He wished that he wouldn't be faced with such animosity because, after all, it hadn't been him that chose his room, it was the pervert Jiraiya and old lady Tsunade! If they were going to blame anyone it should be those two! But of course, Naruto knew that was too much to hope for and no matter what he wished for, when he finished climbing the stairs he'd be faced with the in crowd and their arrogant, disapproving nature.

What he didn't expect when he'd finished climbing the 2087 stairs to his floor was to find his bags strewn across the floor outside his room and Sasuke, Neji and Gaara stood waiting for him by his door.

"What's the big idea? That's my room too!" Naruto shouted from his place on the 2086th stair.

"Hn. You don't belong here dobe. Go and get a room change, take your revolting things and don't come back." Sasuke said, removing his glasses and leaning back against the wall in his cold, calculated manner that Naruto knew all too well.

"Sasuke's right Naruto. You don't belong here and we don't want to see you here. Go." Gaara was every bit as cold as Sasuke as he said that, eyes narrowing, lips moving into a beautiful smirk and hands coming up to make a shooing gesture at him.

No one in their right mind would think to disobey them and perhaps that's why Naruto began to wonder if there was something wrong with him after all, because instead of collecting his things and making his way back to the ground floor, he took his key out and did what he had been thinking of 2087 steps ago, he barged right through them and unlocked his door.

"I think I'll stay actually." Naruto said as he passed them by, grinning as he saw their confused and somewhat annoyed expressions.

When he was safely inside his room, Naruto let out a relieved sigh and chuckled despite his trembling body; how long had it been since he'd done something like that? Too long...

He settled his bags on the bed by the window- although not the bed he originally picked, he figured it would be best if he didn't agitate his pale eyed room mate too much- and threw himself down in the remaining space, sighing once more and looking at the ceiling above him. No cracks here. No mildew and no stains.

"Of course not" he thought "this is A class territory. Perfection only."

Naruto wondered briefly if this paradise of a room came with two bathrooms, surely they couldn't expect these prissy individuals to use a shower that another person has used before them? But upon closer inspection he found that there was only one bathroom and it took him a while to figure out that these rooms were not meant to be shared. The spacious bedroom was only meant for one bed, one inhabitant, not two. For an instant (and only a tiny instant) he felt sorry for Neji because whilst his friends had their own luxury, he had to share his and then he snapped out of it. Why did one person get to enjoy all this whilst others were not only stuck with a room mate but also placed in smaller, sometimes unkept rooms. Konoha Academy may have the best art programme in the country, but it suffered severely with a case of elitism. It was mainly due to the fact that the wealthy benefactors were the parents of those who were at the top of the social hierarchy. It made sense in that respect that the most money be spent on them and their accommodation and their classes. But in the sense of equality it made no sense. The school pledged to treat their student body with an equal mind and not to judge them on where they came from or who they were. He remembered Iruka writing a harsh letter to the head master and mistress of the school, before he accepted his job (which he only did because they'd wanted him to start immediately and it paid well, something he'd needed after he'd lost his last job and had mortgage repayments to make) , about his views on the elitism and how the school was run. He'd gotten a reply of course; a run-off-the-printer letter thanking him for the feedback and promising him they'd do what they could, complete with a stamped signature. Serfice to say he wasn't happy.

* * *

"If I'm going to share this room with you for a year, we have to get some things straight." It'd taken near on an hour for Neji to return to the room after Naruto's disobedience. "Don't speak to me, the others have asked you don't speak to them either. Don't touch my possessions. Stay out of my way as much as possible, by which I mean try to stay out of this room as much as possible..." On it went, though Naruto zoned out when he started talking about the bathroom and pondered instead whether or not he should attempt to break every single rule that Neji set (or at least the ones he heard) just to piss him off. The sane part of him (the small part) understood that it wasn't the best idea to piss off an already angry person who hated his guts and could, in theory, ruin his entire year with a single command. However, the irrational part of him (what seemed to be at least 9/10 of his body) said that he'd already gotten himself into enough trouble and broken enough of their rules, go all the way! Break the rest or die trying! While he chose between the figurative angel and devil perched on his shoulders, Neji continued to prattle off the rules of his room with seemingly no knowledge that Naruto was completely ignoring every word he said.

"...And lastly, stay away from Sasuke." It was that sentence that caught his attention and pulled him away from his decisions and back to Neji's boring monologue. Why would he need to be told to stay away from Sasuke?  
"What are you talking about? Why would I even go near that Teme?" Naruto said, slightly above normal volume, to the cold unfeeling face in his vision.

"Evidently he thinks you will. He told me to inform you to stay away and considering your head's all hair and no brain, I'd say he has every right to think you will. We have reputations to uphold Uzumaki and I speak for myself and the others when I say that you'll only get in the way of them." The monotone voice of Neji did not even waver as he spoke to the blonde boy as if he were only 5-years-old and needed everything to be spelt out for him.

"Well you can all rest assured that I have no intention of bothering your precious Sasuke and his duck-butt hair!" Naruto hissed through his teeth as he glared at Neji. They thought of him as nothing more than the dirt on the bottom of their shoes and if nothing else it pissed him off. But he'd be lying if he said it didn't hurt as well.

He turned away from 'freaky pale eyes' as he vowed to call him and made his way back towards his bed where he shoved his bags on the floor and settled, face down, into it. The tell tale sound of even footsteps and the slamming of a door alerted Naruto to the fact that Neji had left and that he was once again alone in his -their- room.

He growled and pounded his fists against the mattress before slowly sitting up and looking at the four bags he had to unpack. His stomach growled and he shot up immediately, ramen time! His bags weren't unpacked just yet so he ran over to them and yanked the zip of a shocking blue one open and snatched out a pot of instant ramen.

"You aren't Ichiraku ramen... But you'll do!" He said, cradling it to his chest like a father would to his first born. There was just one hiccup. There was no kettle.

"How does a room like this not have a kettle! I'm seriously going to complain! I didn't even bring mine! Why didn't I bring mine?" He flapped his arms, ran around in circles, pounded his fists against the wall and darted around the room looking for the kettle until he heard the door open.

"Neji! Neji, tell me you have a kettle, where is it?" But it wasn't Neji that he saw, standing at the door staring at him with an annoyed expression on his face, when he turned around.

"Teme? What are you doing here?" Naruto demanded, narrowing his eyes at the glaring Uchiha in front of him.

"You really are as annoying as they get. You're being too loud, some of us want some piece and quite to work in. Dobe." Sasuke replied, lips twitching upwards into the smirk Naruto was far too familiar with to ignore.

"Hey! Don't call me that bastard... And don't look at me like either."  
"Hn. The kitchen is through the door on your left." The aforementioned bastard said as he turned towards the door and left, leaving Naruto stunned and barely breathing in the middle of the room.

No longer in the mood for ramen, he flopped back down on his bed, speechless, bemused, stunned, mildly amazed but ever so slightly smiling. Sasuke had said 34 words to him... the most he'd said to him in years and it was actually helpful if not slightly insulting. Naruto almost wondered why Sasuke had told him where the kitchen was; it could just have been that he knew it'd get him to shut up. But if Naruto knew one thing about Sasuke it was that the man never did anything for another person, no matter what the outcome. The whole event took Naruto back four years to when things were a little different.

_Flashback _

"_Naruto, eat your ramen. We have places to be." A grin, a slight tilt of the head._

"_Naru... Not now...mmmmm! Naru! I'm on the phone!" Giggle, smirk, moan._

"_Look a shooting star! Make a wish..."_

"_Always right?" The reply: "Yeah. Always."_

"_No one can find out Naru!"_

"_How could you? How could you do that to me? You promised always!" Tears, shouting voices._

"_This isn't working. It's just not."_

"_Bye..."_

_End flashback_

When things had gone bad, had started to fall apart, he'd taken to painting to try and capture the moments he knew were soon to be gone. Naruto found himself leafing through the old blue sketchpad where he hid those paintings and trying to find the last one he's done. He'd ripped some, burned some, threw some away on the day everything went wrong. But he'd kept the last one. October 13th 2006. A stretched expanse of skin belonging to a long, lean body, eye's he'd always through were beautiful and hair he'd gotten used to running his fingers through.

"No point dwelling on the past Naruto." He told himself, shutting the book quickly without noticing that the picture he'd just been looking at was almost entirely showing. He jumped up and made his way out of the room, ramen pot left unopened on the bed and door left ajar behind him.

"Destination: C3-something!" Naruto yelled as he shot to the elevator, gaining himself some odd stares in the process.

Inside D507, a hand slipped the picture out from it's place within the book and looked at it, followed the line the paintbrush had left, noticed the little tattoo. The mattress dipped as the owner of the hand lay down and grasped the book itself, leafing through it just like Naruto had done five minutes before. Eyes took in every single last picture in there before it was set down again and mattress shifted as the person turned over and lay with his head in the pillow, inhaling the just-there scent of the blonde.

"Naru..." It was an almost silent whisper, followed by the weight on the bed disappearing as they stood up, picture still grasped in the hand, thumb stroking the date penned onto it _October 13__th__ 2006_.

With one last glance at the bed, at the book, at the unopened pot of ramen that was so rare to see; they left the room, picture in hand.

* * *

**Authors note:** Well there you have it! Chapter 2 XD

Hope you don't hate me too much, but I think it's pretty self-explanatory what went on, so I'm sure you won't.

Again! Sorry for the delay XD

Chapter 3 should be finished and up this time next week.


	4. The Party

**Authors note:** Right... Well it's been too long again! Sorry! College started again and then NaNo happened and I was writing my original novel and it was christmas and then I January exams and then I had coursework deadlines and then I had summer exams... and I'm a bloody procrastinator!

I know what you're thinking: 'Excuses, excuses'. But they are all totally valid and I promise to do better in the future. So, enjoy.

**Disclaimer:**I do not own any of the characters featured in this fanfiction because I'm not that cool...

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The problem with 'destination C3-something' was that it wasn't exactly a feasible thing to find. For a start there were about 30 rooms on each floor being that the rooms were almost unbearably small (though not as painfully so as those in the building of his old room) and even though he knew he was heading up to the third floor, he didn't have a clue what room- because listening to these details were just so over-rated- so essentially he was stuck with three options: 1) he could knock on every single door until he found the right room and just hope it didn't take too long, 2) he could shout really loudly until one his friends recognised his voice and ran to his aid, 3) he could get his phone out and just ring one of them. The third option was a complete after thought and in his eyes just not as fun as the first two. So what did he end up doing? He bellowed Shikamaru's name at the top of his voice. It don't take long for the lazy genius to sprint down the hall and cover the blondes overly large mouth with his hand as he dragged him away. People stared and laughed and whispered, but what really mattered was that the plan had worked and Naruto had little more than what he usually did anyway- deafen people with a level of decibels the world thought impossible to reach.

It was only when the the blonde had been dragged into a small room (or at least it seemed so when he reached it, it certainly hadn't last year) and the door slammed behind him that the hand was removed and he was free to raise his voice once more.

"Naruto, do you have to be so loud all the time? And must you cause a scene wherever you go?" Shikamaru asked the blonde before he could say a word, "The rooms and corridors aren't sound proof here like they are over in _D_."

"Aw Shika, don't hate me because I have a better room than you! I think it's just karma, you know 'good things happen to good people'. Obviously it's just repaying back its massive debt to me by letting me stay in paradise!" Naruto almost bellowed to his friends, though inside he wasn't nearly so happy to be staying in that euphoric Eden with the many clones of Venus and Adonis. One particular Adonis- but honestly he was more like 'the' Adonis- made everything so much less pleasant in that heaven. Oh sure it was still very beautiful and immaculate and full of tiny trinkets that cost more than Naruto's yearly ramen allowance; but what was the point in all that stuff if he couldn't enjoy it because he was too busy dwelling on the past and that Adonis who'd once been closer to him than he'd been with anyone since? It just ruined everything, ruined the fact that he was living in a slice of heaven that only the rich and famous got to taste. He realised that he was letting Sasuke ruin the wonderful opportunity he'd been presented with and he knew that he was letting him win by doing so, but what could he do? What could he really do? Sasuke would be sleeping right next door to him for an entire year, so close to him and yet he probably couldn't have been further away. He'd told Neji he didn't want Naruto near him, didn't want the contact or the conversation that Naruto often found himself thinking about. It'd been a long time since he'd been close enough to touch him, such a long time since he'd had the opportunity to even think about doing so. And he had. He'd been so close to just reaching out an touching him, smoothing his shirt down his body, running his fingers through that perfectly smooth hair. Not that he would have got that far. Sasuke didn't want him. Sasuke didn't want him anymore...

"Are the rooms over on the greener side of the field as nice as you thought they'd be?" A half-asleep Shikamaru asked through the protective shield of the hand he'd laid across his face and Naruto snapped out of his reverie.

"Nicer! Dude, they're three times the size of this one," the blonde said animately as he gestured to the small space around them, "and they aren't supposed to be shared. Neji isn't too pleased about me being there but one person does not need that much space." He gasped for a much needed breath as he concluded his rant on the enormous size of the room he'd be sleeping in for an entire year. He'd left out the part about Sasuke's visit, about the trip into the past he'd taken, purely because they didn't know there was a history between the two. His _new_ friends were just that: new. They didn't know about what had happened before he'd met them, they didn't know that the cold Uchiha prince- the one who ran the school- was once just the friend he'd grown up with, learned to walk and talk and play with. Who'd kissed his knee's better when he'd stumbled and wiped his tears on the anniversary of his parents death every year because he knew what it was like to be alone. But none of that mattered because they didn't know about Sasuke and they didn't need too. Things had changed when they'd grown up, reached the age where they couldn't be like they once had been. It was for the best he told himself because they'd separated further from each other with every day that passed and he could only imagine that clinging on to what had been would have destroyed them by their nineteenth year. And what was the point in that? Life was given to a person so they could truly live. Not so they could hang onto something that wasn't destined to survive. And why? Because hanging on was the easy option, the nicer option. It didn't require change or pain or regret. But it did destroy whatever was left of the reasons for clutching them in the first place. Naruto hadn't wanted that, he'd wanted to remember their friendship the way it had been in the beginning, the carefree way they were around each other before they grew up and life got in the way. And if he wanted to keep that memory fresh in his thoughts every hour of his day then it was his choice to do so. Even if it did break his heart.

It took Lee waving is hands frantically in front of Naruto's face to break him from yet another spell of daydreaming. What was wrong with him lately? He spent too much time thinking about the past, about the things that had been but never would _be_ again and it wasn't helping, it left him distracted and hurting and so unfocused on any other thing. His art work would suffer if he didn't stop, his friends would get frustrated and start questioning him, he might even have to admit to himself that what had happened four years ago still effected him just as much, if not more, than it had when it was a fresh wound in his mind.

"Is it just practical art you're doing this year? Because last year you tried juggling practical art, art history and music composition... stupid if you ask me. Who were you trying to impress?" Who had he been trying to impress? "And you kind of sucked at art history anyway because it required you to actually listen in classes. We all know you're better at just turning up and drawing all day so maybe you sho-"

"Choji, shut up... It's early and we don't have classes for the rest of the day... I'd like to pass it sleeping." Shikamaru's eyes were already drooping as soon as he finished his speech and Naruto couldn't help laughing at him. Shikamaru had been lazy for as long as he'd known him. He hated unnecessary movement of any kind and his favourite activity was watching clouds. But it was that quality that Naruto loved about him, God knows he couldn't handle another Lee and he knew well that Choji wouldn't be able to deal with Naruto, Lee and an excitable Shikamaru. They worked together, they worked well together because they were all different and yet they were all the same.

"Since we have nothing else to do today, you guys fancy heading off campus and getting something to eat?" Choji asked the dozing Shikamaru and company. Naruto's stomach growled at the suggestion. He never did eat that ramen he'd got out.

"Yes! Can we go for ramen?" Naruto pleaded with puppy dog eyes and a pathetic pout.

"God Naruto... Do you ever eat anything but ramen?" Shikamaru asked despite knowing the answer. Of course he didn't. "Fine, but we aren't paying this time." He conceded.

"But guys, I spent all my money on art supplies and instant ramen!" He knew they would treat him, they always did and sometimes he felt guilty because he couldn't treat them back, but he was sure they knew that if Naruto could treat them back, then he would. And that satisfied them, Naruto was their friend and unlike them his carer wasn't rich enough to afford to donate to the 'Nara' wing in the library or the new Akimichi centre for film studies. But they were fine with that because Naruto didn't have to live through the corruption that money bought, the way it left a person s jaded and arrogant and willing to deceive, to manipulate, to put others down for being different. They could have had that, Shikamaru had lived in 'D' for his first year and Choji for his first and second, but they didn't belong there, they hadn't liked it there, hadn't liked being a part of the group that ran the school. So they'd changed buildings, changed friends and were happy for it. And so treating Naruto to ramen every now and then was not a huge deal.

"Come on guys! My stomach is eating itself." Naruto almost shrieked as his stomach let out another groan.

The others couldn't help but laugh as they stood up and made their way out of the room.

"-heard that Sasuke was hosting a party. Do you think we'll get in?" A random blonde girl asked her friend as they walked down the hall, they didn't get to hear the reply because they'd run off giggling.

"Party?" Lee perked up, he loved a good party and how awesome would party in 'D' hosted by the in crowd be? He'd never been a part of them so he didn't know what they're parties were like. Shikimaru however knew they were a sight to behold and Choji, having spent more time as a part of them, knew more so just how amazing they were to attend. They were invitation only, which meant if you didn't live in the building you had to be invited by someone who did. It kept the fangirls out. When shikamaru had left the group he'd stopped going to the parties and when Choji left he'd done the same. Now though they had an excuse to go because technically they couldn't turn Naruto away, not without breaking their own rules at least and that was something they never did. Ever. So they had to let Naruto into their party and Shikamaru wanted to be there to see the looks on their faces when they couldn't deny him.

"What are you thinking? Should we go? It would be your first in crowd party, it's like a right of passage to go!" Choji insisted around a mouthful of crisps.

Naruto wasn't sure if he wanted to go or not. Part of him was desperate to go, part of him wanted to know- and see for himself- what it was he'd always missed out on. But another part of him didn't. That part of him understood that his hateful roommate would be there, and that murderous redhead Gaara would be there... Sasuke would be there. He didn't want them to be reasons to stop himself going, having fun, living a little but they were fast becoming just that: reasons not to go.

"Seriously Naruto! This is a youthful opportunity! We can enjoy this experience together for it will be my first time at one of those prestigious parties as well!" Lee was eager to go and just by looking at shikamaru's face Naruto could tell he wanted to go as well. These were his friends and they wanted to go, his doubts were holding them back. So he decided he really ought to go and if he happened to bump into Sasuke or the others he'd ignore them. He had a right to be there now.

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Shikamaru had been right to expect disgust and having to let 'the likes of Naruto' into their party but again he was right to expect them to have to do it anyway. They never broke their own rules and that's how they ended up amidst the throngs of people not half an hour later. Choji was over by refreshments chowing down on chicken and talking to Kiba, an old friend of theirs and Lee was dancing wildly with a blonde girl who looked as though she was already too far gone. When he saw Sakura dancing his way he grinned. Sakura was the nicest person he'd ever met, she didn't judge people on money and class and who their parents were when she met them, she judged everyone equally until she got to know them. She was sweet and kind and so Shikamaru didn't feel worried when he stepped aside and let her get to Naruto.

"Hi I'm Sakura." She hugged Naruto who was momentarily taken aback that someone so perfectly pretty would want to speak to him let alone hug him. "Heard you're rooming with Neji? Bad luck, he's terrible in the mornings but he's a huge softy once you get to know him. The trick is just to ignore everything he says until he warms up to you. When we first met he told me my forehead was larger than average and that I would never get Sasuke so I shouldn't even try. Of course I did have a little thing for Sasuke because he was sinfully beautiful- not that he isn't now mind you- but he was always so unapproachable and asexual, like he was waiting for someone special to come along and he knew exactly who that person would be. So I gave up and Neji stood and snickered when I admitted defeat but then I punched him in the jaw and he said sorry, we've been good friends ever since. I suppose I should thank him for putting doubts in my mind about Sasuke, I might never have given up on him and then I might never have seen what was there all along. A potential relationship with Gaara. Some people don't get it. Okay most people don't get it but it's only because they don't really know him, he's so lovely when you crack through that scary glare and I do love him a lot." The pink haired girl- Sakura, Naruto reminded himself- sure could talk and it was a little overwhelming to be stood listening to the life story of a girl he'd just met; it made him wonder whether she did this every time she met someone knew. It was endearing he guessed if nothing else.

"No offense Sakura, but do you always talk so much or..." He trailed off because he realised that what he'd said was actually quite offensive and the last thing he wanted was to offend the only person who hadn't spoken to him with disgust evident in their voice.

"Generally yes. Sorry, the others are so used to it by now that I don't think twice about going on and on, but you'll be here for at least the year. You'll get used to it too!"

"Yeah... I really don't think we'll be seeing much of each other. I've been given strict orders to stay out of the way and , I qoute, 'stay away from Sasuke' so I guess they don't want me around." He admitted, scratching the back of his neck.

"Nonsense! Sasuke says that to every new person who comes along but he doesn't mean it, he's just trying to exert control. Have you met Gaara yet?" She asked, seemingly full of hope that they'd see each other often.

"Not under the best circumstances. He was with Neji and Sasuke early today when I was being told to leave the building and take my things with me." He admitted, feeling every slightly bad about basically telling Sakura her boyfriend was a bastard. She tensed up and for a moment he thought he'd said something wrong but a moment later she was grabbing his hand and leading him over to where Neji, Sasuke and Gaara were sprawled along the couches looking like Renaissance art.

"Sakura? What are you doing wi-"Gaara shot up from his seat and and glared at Naruto as he was cut off.

"Don't start Gaara! I cannot believe you would even think about being so rude to someone you don't even know!"

"But Sakura, he's so-"

"I frankly don't care what you think! You tried to kick him out of his room Gaara" she hissed and then looked over to the two other boys who were sat snickering. "Don't think either of you are getting away with this either! All three of you are in serious need of an attitude adjustment and if poor Naruto wasn't standing there right now I would ensure I adjusted them for you! You have behaved abysmally and I think you need to apologise to Naruto. When did it become so important to you all how much money a person has? Why does it even matter anyway?" She was angry with them and they could tell; but it was more than that, she was disappointed with them too and he saw Neji gulp visibly at the look on Sakura's face. These people, these Gods, were actually afraid of the petite pink haired girl standing beside him. It worried him, made him wonder if he should be scared too... But Gaara was walking towards him so he didn't have long to ponder.

"We got off on the wrong foot I fear and I'm... sorry for that. Let me take the opportunity to correct that. Welcome to 'D' and welcome to the elite." In the corner, Sasuke glared.

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**AN:** Okay, well there was chapter three. Please don't kill me for not updating for a year! I'll do better! Reviews are the butter on my toast and the gold syrup on my cheesy puffs! Can't wait for chapter four XD Get to write more Bitch!Sakura and Whipped!Gaara!


	5. The Kiss

**Authors Note: **As promised, I'm getting better and it hasn't been a year again... I'm a bad person I know...

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**Disclaimer:**I do not own Naruto or any of its characters because somebody else thought of it first... Damn it!

Chapter Four- The Kiss

"So what exactly happens at these parties? Do we just mingle and drink or...?" Naruto asked uncertainly, he was confused because he'd expected to walk in on some soiree but instead he'd found himself in the centre of a piss-up where drinks were free and plentiful, "because this really doesn't look any different to other parties. Except, you know, it's got better seats and stuff."

"Well, They like structure in their madness. There's like an unspoken routine of events that happens every time they throw a party. Time to mingle. Time to drink. Time to play. Mostly people just follow what Sasuke does. If he gets up to drink, everybody else drinks as well. When he sits down to talk to the others everyone takes it as a sign that they should be talking as well." Choji answered expertly. He'd rejoined them when Kiba had spotted Hinata across the room and leapt at her much to Neji's displeasure. Did anything make that boy happy? Probably not.

"Time to play?" What could that mean? He couldn't mean a mass drunk game of 'Hide and Seek' or Tag. They weren't children and Naruto hoped to God they weren't talking about an orgy... Surely these pristine rich kids wouldn't partake in such debauchery? Then again... Who really knew? It always was the quiet ones that had the filthiest minds. Or so he'd heard.

"Drinking games. 'Never have I ever', spin the bottle, seven minutes in heaven. Exactly the same games as we always play when we're at those dumb house parties Lee throws every time he sees Gai. They're fond of games because it provides a sense of unity, makes everyone feel a bit special; They like that. They sit in circles that are dependent on what floor you stay on. Obviously the lower you down the more rooms there are per floor so the lower floors generally split in two. But you're right at the top. You'll be sat with The Elite." Shikamaru explained over his shoulder before returning to his conversation with an odd looking blonde girl. Naruto assumed they'd been friends when Shikamaru had been one of them and it made him feel a little out of place. His friends had lives before him and those lives involved all these beautiful people. Although he'd had a life before his friends as well and that life had involved the one person everyone else revolved around. If only they all knew. He was wondering when the time to play these games would come. How would he know? Choji had said this routine was unspoken, they all just knew it. But how could he? He'd never had the privilege of being part of Their routine before. Perhaps Choji would tell him, or Shika, or maybe Sakura would find him and drag him to join something. And that was another point: what would he play? Did he absolutely have to sit with the people on his floor or was that a definite must? Were They really strict with their rules and routines or were they more like principles and guidelines?

"Come on Naru!" And then he was being dragged away by Sakura who'd snuck up behind him and caught his hand. They were heading for a group of people sat in a circle and when he looked around he noticed that other people and grouped together in huddles and circles as well. He almost reeled back when he saw that Sasuke sat amongst the circle of people he was moving towards. But Sakura had only tugged at him harder when she felt his resistance.

"Don't be scared Naru! They won't say a word because I won't let them." She assured him, but it wasn't his fear of Their words that had him resisting, it was the fear of Sasuke's glare. It was like ice, hard and unrelenting. It made him scared whether he'd openly admit it or not. He saw his friends sat down gesturing at him on one side of the circle but he saw the Uchiha on other seemingly ignoring him. But he wasn't, Naruto knew that he'd seen him coming and was fuming inside his mind. But he took a seat regardless. He had a right to be there... he had a right.

"Sakura... Can't he join somebody else. It'll only cause disruption." Neji mumbled whilst glaring at the poor blonde.

"Don't start Neji, he hasn't done a single thing wrong. He's on your floor he joins your game."

"Sakura, perhaps Neji is right on this occasion-" Gaara started but he quickly stopped talking when the sight of Sakura's murderous glare filled his vision and not another word was spoken on the subject. Naruto was beginning to see just how much power she had over them. They played the tough act, pretended they were untouchable but as soon as Sakura opened her mouth they cowered like little puppies. She was there mother whilst they were at school and he couldn't help but smile. They needed someone with the ability to kick their arses without the fear of being shunned and rejected. The only one who never seemed to be phased by Sakura's more than scary glaring was the Ice Prince himself. He continued to glare holes through Naruto's face despite Sakura telling him to stop being so rude. Sasuke didn't want him sat there. Sasuke would never want him sat there. That ship had sailed already.

"As our newest member, I think Naruto should pick what we play." Sakura said, smiling at him just slightly despite the hostile looks being shot his way from the others.

"Actually, I'm okay with somebody else picking. I'm not really sure how all this works yet. I'd really someone else did it..." He trailed off when he saw the look on Sasuke's face. That smirk had made its way back onto his face, the look he only got when he'd won, when he'd gotten his own way. Naruto wouldn't let him win. Not when he had the chance to get the bastard back for everything he'd done. "Spin the Bottle." He said.

He surveyed the others in the group with a tilt of the head and the shadow of a smile on his face. He even knocked back the beer he was drinking and placed it in the middle ready. He wouldn't be beaten by these people. Not whilst he could do something to knock them down a peg.

It was settled and as Sakura explained the rules, which were admittedly a little different to the ones he usually played with, he allowed a grin to flourish on his face. Naruto: one, Bastard: nil. According to Sakura's rules, they would each take it in turns to spin the bottle and whomever it landed on would have to kiss whomever the spinner picked. If they chose not to they had to take a shot. With more males than females in the group there was bound to be a lot of forfeits. More forfeits meant more alcohol consumed. More alcohol meant lower inhibitions and therefore less forfeits. That was the beauty of it.

"Shika! Start us off!" And that was Sakura being demanding again but nobody seemed to mind and Shikamaru span up the empty beer bottle in the middle without protest. Gaara.

"Sakura." Was he really so lazy that more than a single word was too much effort? Naruto pondered that thought whilst the only couple of the group shared a kiss. They'd started off easy, but it certainly wouldn't stay that way.

Almost an hour later the ring of people was no more a circle than a square was and the majority of the people in it were too drunk to care. In a sober state the boys had refused to kiss other boys and were denied the chance to kiss Sakura or Hinata by Neji and Gaara's deadly stares. One by one they knocked back drinks and one by one they became much more willing to actually play the game as it was supposed to be played. Kiba sidled up next to Shikamaru and planted one on his lips and Lee turned to Choji on his go. Neji swapped spit with Tenten who'd already found herself locking lips with Lee, Shika and Hinata. But Sasuke still refused to kiss anyone. Every time the bottle landed on him he knocked back another shot and Naruto had to wonder whether he was always like that during games or whether it was just his presence that made the Ice Prince more frigid than ever. He didn't let his pondering distract him for too long though, there was amusement to be had in the game and when he came back to it from the recesses of his mind he found he was face to face with Lee leaning over rather drunkenly and pressing a kiss to Gaara's mouth. Silence. And an awkward silence at that, because everyone knew that Gaara was taken and should have said no, because his girlfriend was sat right next to him and had, until just moments before, been clasping his hand with hers and giggling at the drunkards she was sat with. It wasn't until Gaara's hand went up to grasp Lee's jaw and angle him closer that Sakura acted because until then it had just been a kiss, a silly alcohol fuelled kiss that meant nothing. But his hand moved and she acted, she pulled him away, tugged his arm until they separated and he sat back down beside her. But still the silence went on, thick and unmoving as each participant tried to decide what was the best move. Should they stop playing? Should they continue on like nothing had happened? Should they berate Gaara and the outsider for doing something they both knew to be wrong?

The group never got to make that decision because soon enough the bottle was being spun my Sakura's own hand and they all stared as it landed on Naruto.

"Sasuke", she whispered defiantly and she looked at Sasuke like she knew, like she was aware of every reason why he wouldn't- no, couldn't- possibly lean over and wrap his arm around the blondes lithe waist, tangle their lips and tongues until neither could remember where they were or how they came to be so tangled up. But how could she possible be aware of everything that went on? How could he have told her of everything they'd been through when he would barely even look at him?

Sasuke reached down to take the shot in front of him and the sudden downcast look on Naruto's face barely made him hesitate, but before he could put the shot glass to his lips a small hand grabbed his wrist.

"No Sasuke." Sakura said, and that was all she said but he lowered the glass anyway and Naruto took the opportunity. He lunged straight for the Ice-prince and caught his lips in the kinds of kiss that dreams were made of. He tasted as he'd always tasted, like something savoury and devourable, and Naruto simply couldn't get enough. Not when those long fingers grabbed at the shirt material around his waist to pull him in, not when one of those hands skated up his back to grasp the flaxen strands of hair, not when he angled his face to kiss him closer and run his tongue over a plump bottom lip before allowing it once more to recede into his own mouth. Bloody tease. But he'd always been that way, he'd always wanted Naruto to want more than he could have and then disappoint him when he didn't get it. No. That wasn't true. Sasuke had always given him everything he'd asked for, right up until the day he'd left. And so when Naruto crowded himself even closer to Sasuke, tugged his shirt from he confines of his trousers and crawled into his lap, Sasuke just let him, kept on kissing him deeper until there was nothing left to do but strip away the clothes coming between them and truly intertwine on the floor surrounded by their friends. They couldn't. Couldn't let the others see what had once been between them because that had passed before these people even came into the picture and they were stunned enough at the kiss they were sharing, let alone anything else they might have in mind. And yet still, when the kiss broke so they could gasp down air and they looked at each other, looked at everyone else around them, it didn't stop either from pressing back in again and it was a reunion like Naruto only dared think about in his dreams. It was sweet and hot and wet, familiar in the way that he'd felt it so many times in the past, beautiful and honest and almost forgotten but never completely. Naruto remember how he used to love this boy, he remembered how he used to love him on summer days when the sun shone and they camped underneath the stars and winter nights when they curled around each other for warmth. He remember how he used to love him when Sasuke stood between him and the bullies, helped him with his homework, bought him ramen after school. And the precipice of those memories was in the moment they shared with each other in a game of 'Spin the Bottle'; the slow movement of lips and the teasing touch of tongue and the careful glide of hands over skin that felt just too good. It felt so good that they had to stop, had to break away and move away from each other because in that moment when oxygen was in short supply because of the desperation in their moving lips, it was easy to forget the others and simply indulge themselves in everything they'd missed since they parted.

There was silence again when they parted and moved back across to their respective sides of the circle. The others could only stare, because it hadn't been a drunken first kiss that was nothing more than part of a silly party game. That was a reunion of epic proportion, it was a joining that had happened so many times before and they realised it but couldn't figure out when their history had happened. Naruto and Sasuke were hardly about to spill everything about what had happened, about how they'd been friends since they could walk, how that friendship had grown into something more so slowly that when the day came that they finally kissed it hadn't been a surprise. They'd be too shocked and they wouldn't understand, they'd give Naruto shit for leading Sasuke astray and think the Ice Prince himself was insane. So they didn't say anything, just moved back and Sasuke grabbed the bottle and gave it a spin. It landed on Naruto this time and the blonde almost hoped that Sasuke would name himself, lunge at him and kiss him again because those lips, that taste, was more addicting than narcotics. But he didn't say his own name, instead he looked over at Kiba and nodded his way. His lips were warm and soft but they weren't Sasuke's and so when he pulled away it was of little consequence to him. He couldn't help but to look over at the person that had once been his lover and quirk his eyebrow as he saw the way he glared at Kiba. He was confused, did Sasuke want him or not? Did he want to rekindle what they'd had between them or was he content to just let any other random person have their way with him. Naruto wished he would make up his mind because he'd spent the last three years wishing he could love that boy again but thinking he never would. But that kiss... that had to mean something... Surely it had to mean something. Didn't it?


End file.
